Secure communication is nothing new but it is rapidly evolving as technology advances. Vaporstream CEO Dr. Galina Datskovsky recently presented a webinar on “Secure Communications in an Insecure World.”In the webinar, Dr. Datskovsky touches upon the importance of secure communications and as technological advances how privacy is becoming increasingly elusive. Among the many topics she discusses, Dr. Datskovsky covers encryption, content control on devices, confidentiality and compliance, BYOD policies and data mining. Below, we cover a few salient points from the webinar.
Encryption ≠ Security
People assume that security means encryption, Dr. Datskovsky points out—but they’re not the same thing. Encryption is only a part of security. When messages are encrypted only the sender and the intended recipient devices can look at the message—that is to say that while the message is protected in transit, once it is on the device – it is a different story. Even if messages are encrypted, that doesn’t necessarily protect the message from being screenshotted, forwarded, or even backed up to an insecure repository. One clear example is the Jeff Bezos case—even though he was using Whatsapp- known for its encryption – his messages were still leaked.
Email Isn’t Always the Way to Go
“If you do not want it on the six ‘o clock news and you’d be embarrassed, it does not belong on email,” states Dr. Datskovsky. She raises important points about considering different forms of communication and what should be communicated where. When you’re deciding how to communicate, you need to consider which information you want to protect and how much risk you’re willing to absorb. In some cases, email might be the appropriate mode of communication and collaboration. In other situations, secure communication platforms may be critical for secure and compliant collaboration.
Your Digital Footprint is Real
We are constantly leaving behind a digital footprint, or a trail of data, through our day-to-day actions and as Dr. Datskovsky reminds us, most data is being mined. It is important to be aware of where we’re leaving a digital footprint. Emails are archived, carriers store SMS messages and metadata (i.e. when you communicate, your volume of messaging) is often kept. Dr. Datskovsky discusses digital footprints and steps you can take to reduce them and avoid compromising sensitive information and personal information.
These days everyone has to take proactive steps to protect sensitive information—both professional and personal. Listen to the full webinar here for a thorough understanding of all things encryption, privacy, security and secure communications.
Contributor: The Vaporstream Team